The Way of Serenity
by zzetta13
Summary: Malcolm Reynolds was never a man to behold spirits, neither those from a bottle or the floaty kind. He's always tried to maintain a clear head. Now however, he finds a ghost aboard his ship, or is his mind playing tricks? You decide what the truth may be.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Way of Serenity**_

"_**Ghost"**_

Author's note: Re-introducing _**Bester**_ back into the mix…..

For this story arc I've decided to re-establish an old favorite from the Firefly television series…..Bester. Bester may have had only a few minutes of screen time on the episode OOG, but he was not forgotten….and here, again, he is his enjoyable self.

Also, the story arc begins….time-frame of around two years after the BDM, Serenity. Thanks for reading, Z

_************ Stranger ************_

Captain Malcolm Reynolds stood baffled, NO that didn't explain what he was feeling….

He was extremely confused. That was a better explanation, but not quite there yet….

He was more…utterly perplexed. Yeah… that may be the best expression to sum up his emotional state at this very instant…..

Perplexed and stupid…

Mal looked around the dark cabin of the ship's galley table at the faces, the faces of a crew that he had shared so many adventures with, some bizarre, and some mundane…..but what he was encountering now, seemed like the most extreme of things that he had ever faced before. He viewed the people aboard his ship, looking into their eyes…..

There was River, pilot of Serenity, Bester, ship's mechanic, whom he'd brought back to fill in for the temporary absent Kaylee (off with Simon on another world for the moment)…..and Zoe and Jayne. And then there was this stranger, a man he recognized, but yet didn't, if that made any sense?

It was the middle of the night, here on Persephone, and he had been disturbed from a restful night's sleep. All he wanted was some answers. And scouring the faces of his crew he was getting none. Nobody expressed the faintest notion of what was going on.

He looked over at Zoe, her eyes were wide-open…staring at him. Those dark pools, which a man could get lost in, told him that she didn't have a clue about what was happening either, but she accepted it.

He looked to River, sitting in a chair (knees curled up under her chin, and, that ever present smile upon her face)….she seemed less freaked out about this than anyone, but then, she would.

He looked at Bester, the guy seemed a little miffed himself. That _dumb-ass_ look on his face again, like when Kaylee showed him the faulty reg-couple all that time ago. Mal was sure he was bewildered about the event.

Then the Captain looked over at Jayne. The big lug was picking his teeth with a tooth-pick, after finishing a bowl of left-overs he'd re-heated from supper…(said he couldn't think on an empty stomach, trouble was, everyone knew that he couldn't think much on a full one either).

This was his crew now, or what was left of his crew after the showdown with the Operative two years ago. The _wind_ had been taken from their sails at that time.

After discovering the PAX contamination on Miranda, his pilot and another team member had brutally reached their end during that conflict, a time that none of them much cared to reminisce about anymore…..but it had happened.

Now Mal was looking at Jayne, and the big mercenary was sensing his focus…

"Don't look at me Cap, I got no answers for ya. Seems to me the person that can explain details the best is sitting right over there next to Zoe…."

He was right, Jayne was, the Captain turned again and looked at the stranger sitting next to his first mate. The man seemed stunned himself, almost not knowing what was happening.

_************ Dream Phantom ************_

_Two Hours Before:_

She again felt the sweat trailing down her body, this night, and like the others, it was all the cause of a dream, a vision, an image of a MAN, her MAN, her love.

Zoe moved her legs over to the side of the bunk and placed her feet lightly on the floor. She felt tears begin to pool in her eyes, and again, she began to wonder WHY…why was this happening now? Losing wash had been devastating to her all that time ago, but she had remained strong, strong and sturdy. The crew had needed her to be that way, and although she was torn apart inside she had remained a rock for them, granite…..

Maybe it was a woman thing, unconsciously knowing at the time, that she needed to remain strong, strong too, for the life growing inside of her, for the person she and her love had created together….

She had given birth to a baby boy months after, and he was the dearest child she could ever, ever love. Actually, this was the first time she'd been away from her baby for an extended period of time, but she knew that he was in good hands. Uncle Simon and Aunt Kaylee would look after him well, and she had no doubt about his safety. Actually she was thinking that Serenity's mechanic may be pushing the idea (on her new husband) about starting their own little bundle….

Zoe wiped away the tear that was draining down her cheek. She smiled, but it was mixture of happiness and sadness. The dreams about her husband were always that way.

Serenity had been parked outside of Eavesdown docks for less than a week, Mal attempting to badger a job out of Badger, but that being said, the Captain had changed too, and only took the risk-less jobs, and the opportunities were slim. Zoe knew that he only brought her along for the easy tasks. The milk runs or bobbly headed doll capers, and she understood the reason….but Serenity was beginning to starve, and too, she figured that she was much to blame. How much longer would Jayne remain aboard?

Zoe stood up from the bunk and put on a robe…..maybe the fresh, night air of Persephone, might help to clear her head, and her emotions. She exited her chamber.

Walking down the ship's ramp Zoe noticed the glow of a full moon….Persephone was a really beautiful place. Being late in the night, the lights of the city had begun to be dowsed, and the few remaining lights of the town felt inferior to the multitude of stars held up in the night sky.

Zoe could come out here without any burden, any feeling of being confined, and express her thoughts, just as if she were standing on an abandoned moon all alone. It seemed so peaceful.

Suddenly she heard something creak out in the shadows. She whipped around and pulled out her weapon in the same instance (providing quite the sight….a woman standing in a nightgown with a hot pistol in her tight grip. It might seem funny, if she hadn't felt so apprehensive).

"WHO'S THERE?"

Mal's first mate wasn't about to let her guard down so easily. There was silence for a while…..then came a monotone answer.

"Someone you know."

Zoe felt confused about the voice, and her mind was in debate about its recognition, but then a man came walking out of the _deep, rich, darkness,_ of the shadow…..and the pistol toting warrior woman became petrified in disbelief…

"Wash…?"

He stopped a mere ten feet from her, the shadow-play upon his features obstructing much of his face, but that shirt, that flowery patterned shirt…..Zoe knew that no other person adored those flamboyant patterns more than the person that she once was married to, and still loved.

"Wash….?" She repeated.

"Hello my dearest….." came his words.

Zoe was so stunned that she didn't know what to do. The weapon began to weigh heavy in her grasp and her hand began to shake. She felt faint as he began to advance forward…

"NO DON"T, DON"T MOVE…!"

She tried to halt his advance, but the man continued steadily onward.

"If you're gonna put a bullet into my chest," he spoke, walking straight up and placing the barrel against his body…."Then put the hole right next to this one," he said, pulling his shirt aside to reveal a scar the size of an apple plainly to be seen in his upper chest.

"I'd rather die, again, from a projectile from the woman I love, rather than from one of Reavers..."

Zoe stood for a second. Her brain folding in upon itself. Was this the shit or what? She fainted straight away.

END PART 1


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Way of Serenity**_

"_**Part 2"**_

Author's note: A mysterious stranger (?) has come aboard Serenity, and the crew aboard the ship is in limbo about what to do. The fellow seems almost as if he were a long lost puppy….and who doesn't want to take care of a lost puppy? (Malcolm Reynolds raises his hand).

Mal Reynolds isn't of the business of housing animals, well unless he be transporting stolen cattle, and, he also isn't of the idea of enjoying being aroused in the middle of the night to find a ghost sitting in his parlor.

Mal is a little skeptical about this situation, and as Captain he has every right to be. He doesn't want to compromise Serenity in any form or fashion, or put his crew into danger. In his opinion this fellow is on the "_ropes_" until he proves himself, or can give them answers that taste better'n pig fat. Right now the fellow's story is leaving a taste in Malcolm's mouth that is sour…..and, the new Wash, better come up with a story more believable than what his dishing now.

_********* Warm Bodies, or Cold Ones? **********_

Well here they were, his noble crew, well save for Simon and Kaylee, who were on another world babysitting Zoe's little boy, and Inara, who'd returned to the academy to visit her girls. The thing was, with Mal now facing a somewhat NEW and mind-blowing situation; he was wishing he was somewhere else too.

Fact was however, that this was his ship, his crew…..so inevitably, HIS problem.

"Wash," the Captain looked directly at the man sitting next to his first mate (bundled tightly together and holding hands as if they were lovers, well used to be…well had been, well… just never mind)….and guided his question towards the guy filling that chair at the galley table.

"Where have you been for the past two years…what happened?"

It was odd; this was the perfect opportunity for Malcolm's old pilot to sprout one of those ridiculous (however humorous) one-liners, those bits of humor that defined old Wash so well, and sometime made a stressful situation (regardless of the danger) a little lighter, yes, here was an opportunity like that, it didn't happen.

The man just sat there confused, and looked to be in the process of trying to come up with an answer.

Zoe took the reins…..

"Sir, he's as clueless of this whole situation as we are. All he knows is that he was driven to come here and seek out a Firefly Class vessel, one calling itself Serenity, and there he would find some answers. Give the man a break."

Zoe usually wasn't of the mind of snapping at her Captain as such, and she really wasn't angry with him now, but, her words spoken were in defense of her husband, or the guy sitting next to her claiming to be.

However, in Mal's mind he was thinking that, just because the guy looked like Wash, and carried a scar on his chest, it didn't make him so.

New Wash, old Wash, it didn't matter, Malcolm's mistrust of the Alliance didn't look past them attempting to stage a look-alike on-board his vessel, to infiltrate his ranks. Did they still want something?

Malcolm had been plagued by ghosts in the past….the haunts of faces returning from the war, soldiers that phantomed his dreams, his nightmares, but none of them had ever physically come aboard and sat down next to him..._GEEZZZZ_….that would be freakish.

Malcolm put his hands upon his waist and exhausted a breath of frustrated air.

Jayne spoke up.

"Hey Cap, why don't we ask him questions, you know, like an interrogation. Have him answer something that only the real Wash would know…..that'd be a way of finding out if he is…..who he claims to be, right?"

"Ain't nobody interrogating my husband Jayne….," Zoe spoke up, "especially you."

"I ain't said me," the mercenary began, "I meant Mal. He could ask him maybe of something that they talked about when they were held up in Niska's lab together, something that only the two of them should know….."

It did make sense to the Captain (Jayne did have his moments).

Jayne continued...while still looking at Zoe...

"…..you know,before me, you, the Shepherd,…."

"**_Shepherd_**…?"

All heads turned toward the new man come aboard their vessel. Wash had been somewhat brought out of his state of mental daze. He began to talk...

"There was a man, a priest, bishop, or something. Brought me here to the docks, told me that I should look for a Firefly spacecraft. That the people aboard were at one time my friends and family, told me that I should ask them about the "_Mysterious Book_", and that they would understand the meaning. That mean anything to you guys?"

The Verse had certainly taken a turn for the BIZARRE.

Sure that meant something. It was like a message from another ghost. River began to giggle. She turned to the Captain and, with a grin, voiced her opinion of the whole ordeal…

"Shepherd's still trying to save your soul Captain….," she said, "….and what better way than to haven his spirit from the world beyond?"

Malcolm stood numb for a moment…"holy _gos se_," he said.

There was silence for a second, and then Bester spoke up….

"Sir, don't you mean Holy Ghost," he corrected?

END PART 2


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Way of Serenity 3**_

"_**Spirits of Serenity"**_

Author's note: Malcolm Reynolds has been delivered into some strange situations in his time, but in living memory, none serve to be stranger than this. He has welcomed aboard a full bodied apparition, well maybe "_welcomed_" is the wrong word regarding his hospitality, it might be better explained saying that…._he is tolerating_ this newcomer.

Hoban Washburne has returned, and although "ALL" folk aboard Serenity seemed to be stunned…staying up all night will cease to relax their trouble by morning, so all have decided to return to slumber. This leaves Mal to ponder the idea alone; _are there truly specters and ghosts that roam the universe, and can they reform into their tangible bodies, or is this some sort of prank_?

Now, not only does this question weigh heavy on his brain, but there is something else. Something on the horizon that involves an undertaking that he has just acquired from Badger (a new job), and the job may not turn out to be what it was originally perceived. There might be more danger than Malcolm Reynolds is aware of. Is someone trying to re-engage him with the Alliance? Read on to see what comes next…..

_************ Spirits of Serenity ************_

Malcolm Reynolds sat in the pilot's chair of Serenity, while the rest of his crew had returned to their chambers. Not that he minded taking over _bridge duty_ for Bester.

As Captain, and in charge of this vessel (with its new problem), he couldn't sleep anyway.

Mal mounted his feet onto the cockpit console …the idea being that, if he was going to make himself miserable (trying to figure this thing out), then he might as well make himself _comfortably miserable_.

He looked out over to the pilot's controls…..the navigation board, and the proximity chart, and he remembered with fondness watching Wash run through the nobs and buttons as if they had been an extension of his own hand. The man had expressed a talent for flying that was hard to beat, and although River had taken over the helm (and was a better pilot then himself) she still could learn a few points from the Captain's old driver.

Wash had really been an exceptional pilot, and with Zoe, Kaylee, the doctor, the Shepherd and even Jayne, at that time…Mal had prided himself in fielding the best crew that had ever roamed the universe. Add into the mix River (the link that had kept them focused and alert), and Inara (with her personal wisdom of helping him keep his feet on the ground) and the Captain knew that he would be hard pressed to ever have a crew like that again. Mal digested his thoughts for a moment…

"_What? What was he thinking, he did have Wash back_!" The man was down in Zoe's bunk at this very moment, and he and Zoe were….Mal's stomach did a flop-flop….. Well, he wouldn't think about that for now.

Anyway, when Zoe had decided to return to her bunk it was an automatic that Wash would join her. The Captain hadn't thought about it before, but when he did, he expressed a belief that it may not be a good idea to have Wash in there with her. He may turn out to be a spy…..

Mal had taken his first-mate aside and requested that they provide a separate chamber for the newly arrived crew-member, a place in the guest parlor.

"You are joking with me aren't you Sir?" Zoe had spoken, no smile creasing her lips.

"Zoe it's just that…..," Mal could see that any argument that he might mount would literally be like "blowing a leaf on the wind" he thought about the metaphor and nearly tossed his lunch. He guessed that he would have to allow it, as if he had a choice….

"…..Well OK then, go on and enjoy you tumble with an entity that may be as lively as a bobbly headed doll…..with a head that may not bobble so much…..," the Captain spoke, being ridiculous in his assumption.

"…..or he could show me the stars….," Zoe informed her Captain. Mal stuck his finger to his mouth, gesturing as if he were about to vomit. The two parted and Mal returned to the bridge.

Now, here he sat, looking at the ship's controls and wondering what he was going to do, for not only had this new issue come aboard his vessel, but he had also gained a new job from Badger…..Swine. Not that he was calling Badger a swine, but Mal had attained a business transaction from the low(er) boss king on Persephone. He was to transport a herd of pigs across the void, to deliver them to Jiangyin. The opportunity reeked of hog manure this time, instead of cattle, but these were the kinds of jobs the Captain had felt obligated to take in order to keep his crew safe.

With the information of the PAX infection being uncovered, Malcolm Reynolds knew that he retained a spot on the target list of the Alliance. He also knew that, for his own conscious, he could ill afford the regret of losing any more of his crew (Mal still harbored remorse over losing so many soldiers under his command during the war, and also in attributing to the deaths of his pilot, Wash, and his_ soul keeper_, Shepherd Book) during their pursuit by the Operative.

This new job from Badger may add to the mockery of his fellow pirates (by way of them teasing him about his sterile-inability to take risk anymore), but if that was the worst he suffered…..then he could endure taunts and jests.

And, hauling pigs was the perfect opportunity to get his mind off things. Also, this trip would allow him to survey New Wash, and find out if he was whom he was claiming to be. Expressing amnesia to be able to post that he couldn't remember details from his past had certainly been a cleaver ploy as far as Malcolm was concerned. The man did remember Zoe…and that made it all the more suspicious.

This trip to Jiangyin would allow Mal to secure confidence in his new arrival's story. Since this was a low-profile undertaking and the transportation of pigs over to a world (such as that backwater), was as common as fleas on a hound…..then should Wash prove to be an Alliance Mole, he could ill inform his superiors that Serenity was involved in illicit affairs again. The job looked to be as tranquil and innocent as a politician kissing a baby.

Only time would tell if the new wash, was the REAL Wash, or an impostor.

Malcolm began to wonder about this new job from Badger. The cargo was to be delivered to Serenity in the morning, thirty pigs…and Mal had elected Jayne and Bester to erect plastic sheathing across every opening leading from the cargo hold to other parts of the ship. This would keep the stench localized and controlled from spreading throughout Serenity. It was a task just right for the mercenary and mechanic.

As Mal sat there pondering about hogs, the monitor screen began to crackle and flash, there was an incoming transmission. He flipper the switch to allow the transmission to come through, and in two seconds the captain of Serenity nearly fell out of his chair.

On the screen was a familiar face, a face that had expressed to him many times about his evil ways…..

"Shepherd Book…?"

The Captain's mouth nearly hung down to the floor. Book smiled….

"Well hey there Mal. How's the bacon bus…."

It was an odd thing for the preacher to say, and it did zip through the Captain's brain,

"_Not only am I being hounded by Spirits, but I'm also be insulted by them,_" he went back to viewing the screen.

END PART 3


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Way of Serenity 4**_

"_**The String of Destiny"**_

Author's note: The characters of Firefly run so deep, I just have to play with them… :)

_************ Prologue ************_

Malcolm Reynolds, man of faith and belief (well, that is until "Serenity Valley"), would never have pictured himself being accosted by Spirits and ghosts (OK, maybe just in nightmares), his faith having been destroyed during battle, but not his soul…someone had come aboard to save him.

Years earlier, Henry Evans (coming aboard Serenity for the first time), knew that he had a mission ahead of him, a mission obligation stating that he must report back to his superiors and inform them of his findings on Serenity…..

Yet unknown to them he had another obligation, a promise he'd made to a woman on Shadow (years ago), a promise that he would not let her son fall under the influence of Hades, that, as a Shepherd, he would do whatever within his power to see that her son's soul was saved from the ravages of Hell.

Mom Reynolds had become concerned about her son's letters back to her during the war, letters reflecting a dark forebodingness (his lust for life having become dimmed by the horrors he'd witnessed during the war)….and she was afraid that if she ever saw him again, that she would not recognize the person that he had become. War may be diminishing his soul, but she prayed that he would still keep his faith….

"_What gain a man the wisdom of experience, if he loses his faith in its acquisition_?"

…What mother would want the return of a son, a soulless, indifferent child, whom had lost that spark in his eyes?

Mother Reynolds had wanted her son back. Not only that, but she wanted the same child that used to play with the ranch hands out on the glen, or the boy who sang loudest in the church choir. She wanted to see him happy again…Now; it was a blessing for her, not to be able to see the bitterness held within. Eyes that now knew the cruelty of the universe.

Stepping aboard Serenity, that first time, Book remembered that he had made a pact, a promise to a woman that he would not only find Malcolm Reynolds, but that he would see to saving his soul.

Book had been, that first time, not only on a mission to infiltrate Serenity (and become a member of its crew), but also had taken on a side-mission. Maybe his innocent encounter with Kaylee had not been so innocent after all, Z.

_************ Cold Storage ************_

He sat there in a chair that used to be occupied by a man that once piloted his vessel, a man deceased now, or was he? Mal had assumed that Wash had been killed; however too, he was now looking into the face of another individual whom he thought to be departed. Someone he'd said his goodbyes to a long time hence.

"Book….,"

Malcolm Reynolds could feel the gray-matter of his brain beginning to turn into sponge-cake. Was the Alliance trying to drive him crazy? If they were, then it wouldn't take long for them to turn him loony as a lollipop, like River.

An image of Simon's sister entered his brain, and she, as always, was smiling…..

"You could never be as crazy as me Mal," River spoke, "that would make you insane," she giggled, "….besides, I like lollipops."

The girl's image faded from his mind, however her laughter still echoed throughout the caverns of his brain.

"Mal! Malcolm Reynolds!"

Malcolm again looked at the screen before him, and acquired the image of a man that he had thought to be long dead.

"Book, how…..?"

"That's not important at this time," the Preacher spoke, "…what is important is that you have a new crew-member upon your vessel, well, a new-old crew-member," Book spoke…

"…..Wash has been restored back to you in order to help you complete this mission, the Shepherd paused, "River, sweetheart that she is, is a very capable pilot, but in matters such as this you may need more than just a capable pilot, you may need a pilot that exceeds an ability of just flying a vessel fast and furious…. You need somebody like Wash."

Mal realized that Wash was the best pilot he'd ever seen, but if memory served him correctly, the last time he'd witness Serenity's old pilot, he had had an eight foot pole sticking through his gut. How could anyone survive that? And who, in his mind, was aboard his vessel now?

Book could see the thoughts zooming through the Captain's brain, and although he hadn't planned on filling him in on all the details, the Shepherd did feel an obligation to bring Mal more into the light of the situation.

"OK, so here's the short version," the Preacher started, "OH, and by the way, on Haven thanks for not burying me six feet under and throwing dirt in my face," the Shepherd smiled, then started again…

"On Haven, once Simon had pronounced me dead, your anger made your solely blind, out only to seek revenge and justice. Anyway, you were so hindered by hatred and a sense of destroying those who had killed me that you couldn't see the writing on the wall, literally. I had written you a note, on the nosecone of the Alliance vessel that I had shot down….. and it had read as follows….

"_The Preacher may lay down with his flock, but he will rise again to come for the souls of those that he has yet to save_."

Book paused for a second…..seeing if Malcolm was contemplating his meaning. Book interjected...

"A little encrypted, I admit, but between you, River, Kaylee, Zoe, Wash, Simon, Inara and Jayne, well maybe not so much Jayne….. However, I was thinking that my message would have been seen for what it was, and interpreted," Book hesitated, "your crew has figured out more difficult puzzles than that. Anyway it was meant to signal to you that I was not dead, that I was coming back."

"My crew….," Mal began, "you were part on my crew Book," the Captain said.

The Shepherd smiled…..

"Yes…and as such I am still perplexed," he spoke, a bit astounded, "I would have thought that the same drug used by Tracy (into misleading folk into thinking that he was dead), would have been easily discerned by Simon." Book frowned that his message had not been received.

"Yeah well, Simon was in a rush," Mal looked to take responsibility for the doctor missing the clue, "….anyway, what has this to do with you and Wash?"

"Well, Cap, "Book resumed, "...soon after you left I dawned one of the uniforms of a deceased member of the downed Alliance frigate crew. I was picked-up by an escort and shuttled away to the Operative's armada. From there I learned that they were awaiting your return from Miranda… and it wasn't until you appeared through the _ion cloud_ that it was discovered that you had your own armada in tow, Reavers, which I must say was ingenious…." Book saluted Mal with a kudo of brilliance for thinking of that….then he continued…..

"Anyway, after all was said and done, I discovered Wash with a spike through his midriff on Serenity. I felt his pulse, and although weak, his vitals were still of a decent level (meaning that he was not dead). I commanded that he be taken away and placed into Cryo, that is, until I could have him revived at a more appropriate time."

….Book took this time to view Malcolm's face as though he were searching for the Captain's acceptance of his story….. Mal seemed to be of the understanding that it was feasible, the Shepherd continued…..

"Anyway, Wash remained in "_Cold Storage_" until I was able to thaw him, regenerate his wounds, and set him on the path of restoring Serenity to its once again formal greatness," Book paused….

"See Captain, your destiny is not your own. No matter how shallow you think your contribution. Fate and faith are still within your grasp."

END PART 4


	5. Chapter 5

_**The Way of Serenity 5**_

"_**Wash Cycle"**_

Author's note: Malcolm Reynolds has not become comfortable with what has befallen his ship over the past few days. He is still somewhat leery of his predicament and, as such, he sees only two options, he can either carry on as usual, continuing with the few merger jobs he and his crew can acquire, or he can sit and ponder over this until Serenity starves to death? Of course he chooses the former. Still he wonders, is there a ghost aboard his ship, or is Wash something else?

Mal cannot produce evidence showing Wash to be a fraud. He must endeavor to endeavor, so to speak, and will allow the chips to fall where they may.

Shepherd Book manifesting himself all over the portal screen has caused him some concern as well. He considers the idea that he may be losing his mind. Indeed, he needs advice, and what better person to connect with than a person whom he thinks is crazy already, River.

Spouting knowledge still comes and goes from the young River Tam, and Mal adopts that the next time she speaks; he will certainly listen; only now he needs her intellect, not her craziness. He needs her to show him a clear path through the woods.

Serenity is still the property of Captain Reynolds, not Captain River, and he needs answers. His crew, both living and (or) dead, have helped him out of some sticky situations…..this one, seemingly becoming stickier by the minute. Will Malcolm Reynolds get some answers? The journey continues….Z

_************ Badger, Badger, Badger ************_

Malcolm Reynolds Stood on the loading ramp of his cargo vessel watching as Jayne corralled their latest shipment up the incline and into the hold of Serenity.

"Nasty vermin aren't they….." Jayne spoke as he cracked his whip to hurry the animals along.

He always did seem to enjoy his little exertion of power over farm animals…..and Mal knew that to denigrate the mercenary of his fun, might only serve to set Jayne into a bad mood. Therefore, the Captain only hinted to the big guy that the pigs need not be forced onto the ship, that….with the cabbage and gruel spread out all over the floor of the cargo hold, the little varmint might enter aboard willingly.

"I like smackin'em…," Jayne voiced with another crack of his whip.

Jayne was Jayne, what else could be said….

Mal's attention swayed from that of the mercenary to that of a little guy in a bowler hat approaching Serenity and halting at the foot of the cargo ramp.

"Well, isn't this the delight of a brand new day…." Badger smiled looking up at the Captain. His expression was mock in appearance and degrading in nature, but it was what Mal had come to expect from the lower crime boss. Badger continued….

"…..it fits you, taking swine aboard your ship Captain," he said, "…..gives more the locals to talk about," Badger grinned (_he never dodged the opportunity to brow-beat Mal when he got the chance_)…..and his mention of the locals, meant to impress upon Malcolm that his forgone decision, of flying more cautious and conservative these days, was beyond what true pirates were known for. It seemed that Mal had lost his sense of the hunt, his ambition to show derision towards the powers that be, towards the Alliance.

Also, it was hurting his (Badger's) business, his reputation, and his pocketbook.

Badger's insults were designed to shame Mal into returning to his more reckless days, and therefore meant to sway Reynolds into taking the more difficult jobs, the jobs that paid a heap of a lot more coin. Jobs that now formed a back-list of his personal promises.

(_Back-rubs were not Badger's cup-of-tea. Many of his clients came to him when the illicit nature of their transactions could only be whispered about in the bars and alleyways of Persephone's south end, the areas that only the people of true decline and perversity had business venturing). _

_During Mal's heyday, he had captained a vessel that Badger could count on, someone who would take the risks of some of those transactions. Serenity and her crew had been a team willing to forgo chance for profit, forgo pain for gain, which meant bigger payoffs and lumpier caches for them both. The Captain's reputation had grown both far and wide, well in certain circles. However, now Badger was looking at a man who'd almost lain down his weapon, forgone his zeal, and he was viewing the Captain with a tally of disgust_).

With Mal now becoming more heedful, the Persephone crime lord's profits had begun to dwindle. He had already laid-off two of his associates, Christian Brinks and Ricky Knox (and at Christmas time, gorramit), so Serenity's lack of risk-taking was not only costing him coin, but people…..employees with families. Badger continued his belittling of Serenity's owner…

"Malcolm Reynolds, commander of the _Balls and Bayonets Brigade_," he had made that comment before….

"….now Captain of a vessel transporting animals with stubby snouts and little squiggly tails. It is embarrassing for me to do business with you these days, but be that as it may, I still have to provide a duty to my clients, no matter how meager the job. So your services are still needed Captain Reynolds, no matter how soft you've become. You still are an employable entity."

The crime lord looked over at his escort and grinned (the men on his payroll grinned back, they were fellows willing to smile at anything their boss might say).

Pushing Malcolm Reynolds down in front of his crew was a pleasant pastime for Badger. The little man gazed over at the swine entering the vessel…..

"Sir Warrick Harrow…." Badger stopped, unsure if he should have mentioned that name…. "I mean, my latest client, has requested that you deliver these swine to their appropriate destination on Jangyin."

He glanced over at Mal again….

"You think you can do that without falling under suspicion of the feds, or getting yourself arrested for smuggling pork?"

Another insult, but Mal was used to his insults…..then, just at that moment, Wash came walking down the plank. Badger looked a bit bewildered…..

"I heard you were dead," he questioned, speaking to Mal's former pilot?

Wash reached into his pocket and pulled out a toy dinosaur….he looked at the lowly crime boss.

"Yeah, that seems to be the popular assumption," he paused, then he showed the Badger the toy, "however, unlike this fellow, I have yet to declared myself extinct."

END PART 5


	6. Chapter 6

**_The Way of Serenity 6_**

"**_Words"_**

Author's note: Badger thinks that he knows a bit about Serenity. He has employed their talent and skill many times for his unscrupulous and lawless clientele. He also believes that he knows a bit about her crew.

He knows that Mal's first mate is named Zoe, and that she is a stern follower of her Captain's leadership. Maybe they shared a link together from the war, but that's just an assumption…

Also, he knows the muscle aboard Serenity, a guy with a quick temper and a lust for _cohort and coin_, a fellow going by the name of Jayne, Jayne Cobb.

Jayne is not the kind of fellow that Badger deals with on a regular basis. He "Is" the kind of person that the Persephone crime-pin sees as well below him. Cobb is the kind of fellow that Badger would not spend ten seconds on if it weren't for the likes of Malcolm Reynolds. The mercenary is below Badger, beneath his level. The crime-boss believes that Jayne is only a means by which Mal shows his strength, an individual who serves only a sole purpose, a heavy, and as such, although the mercenary places himself with much more value, Badger considers him expendable.

To his credit, Badger knows a lot, he has integrated a structure that keeps him informed. He too, has witnessed that both Jayne and Zoe accompany Mal on many of his endeavors, that they are his backbone, his spike. They have appeared on numerous occasions with the Captain during his appearances into the den of thieves, his gorram den.

Badger also knows of the ship's mechanic, a girl named Kaylee. He bought her a dress one time, a dress that would help Malcolm with the façade of attending a ball where Sir Warwick Harrow was in attendance. It had helped to facilitate a business deal that Badger couldn't be privy to himself…..

Anyway, so Badger is of the belief that he knows somewhat of the makeup of Serenity's team. Too, he spent one whole night aboard ship, the last time her crew smuggled something for Sir Warwick Harrow, so seeing any of her crew tooling about Persephone, at any given time, comes as no surprise to the underworld crime boss (_the gossip soon spreads about when Serenity is in town_).

Still, with all his knowledge about Serenity, he is set back a spell when he witnesses Wash join Mal on the loading ramp. Months ago he had heard rumor that the pilot of Serenity had been killed, laid waste in some sort of action on some world distant.

Now here he (Wash) stood, in one of those dumb-ass flamboyant shirts he favored, proving to the low-crime lord that one shouldn't always believe what one hears in the verse, that rumors and false claims in the black surely do abound….and so the story continues…

**_********** Words **********_**

Badger had just become aware that Hoban Wash was still alive (_and seemingly well_), aboard the Firefly transport vessel Serenity.

Although seeing him was something of a surprise to Badger, something that he hadn't expected (_there was no reason for him to disbelieve the rumors which had been circulating around the verse for some time now, that Serenity's pilot was dead_)…..he was a bit befuddled about this encounter. However, not wanting to appear stupid in front of Malcolm Reynolds, by being unaware of the current verse gossip, Badger quickly pawned off his claim of thinking Wash dead, as being mere verse-say.

The recovering of his moxie was a bit amateurish, but his ego, although tarnished, still reflected his arrogance.

Badger prided himself in being up-to-date on the gossip and Intel of the galaxy. It was one of the reasons why he employed so many people, and also the target of his ears (_ears=the listening devices and cortex monitors used in his den of thieves_), which were privy to the loose information floating around the black. It kept Badger abreast of what was going on, and also alerted him to opportunities in which he could employ pirates, such as Malcolm Reynolds, to engage and make him money (_without exposing himself in the process_).

Badger DID consider himself as one of Persephone's prime underworld players, although there were others that would dispute that claim, having roots in the community and rubbing elbows with the rich and elite of that border world's society.

The lowly crime lord considered that he held more respect. In actuality he was seen by most of Persephone's upper-crust as _a, sad little king of sad a little hill_, however he did have his usefulness when it came to illicit affairs, Badger's name was nearly at the top of the list.

Although others did, Badger didn't see himself as a trifle of a man; his belief was that he ranked higher on the totem pole. In reality he wasn't even invited to Persephone's fancy, high society parties, and he never would be.

Anyway Badger stood there along with Mal and Wash, trying to cover his mistake in revealing that he did not know Wash was still alive and breathing, then, at that very moment, River came walking up.

Badger quickly moved to change the subject….

"Ah, I see that you're still transporting under-aged cargo as well Captain Reynolds," the crime boss spoke,"….is she destine for some border world Barron or can I place a bid in for her myself?"

Badger really didn't want to put in a claim for the young River Tam; he was just attempting to take the focus off of his misinformation….

Mal looked over at the man with disgust; sometimes the fellow sitting under that dark derby bower repulsed him beyond reason.

"Look, I can put up with your insults and your sharp tongue when you waste your time attempting to degrade me, but I will not stand here and allow you to disrespect my crew," Mal said with a stern appearance. He turned to his on-board mercenary, "Jayne, empty the cargo, this fellow here can take his business elsewhere."

There was a moment of pause for all of those around…

Badger, in one of his true awkward moments felt himself sorry for the comments he'd made.

"Sorry Captain, I meant no disrespect (which was a lie, he meant every bit of disrespect)….I was only making a joke, chit-chat. I've seen this girl on your ship before so my initial impulse was of poor taste, no harm intended. Still, inquisitive, what's she still doing on your boat?"

Mal was caught off-guard by Badger's apology, and his question, still he recovered soon enough and quickly decided that the best way to answer Badger's inquiry was with the truth.

"Well, she's a genius…..escaped convict from the Alliance. Her brother is a full blown surgeon from Osiris and he helped her escape from some government facility where they were trying to turn her into a weapon, a killing machine. Now she pilots for me on Serenity, or rather, she co-pilots. Anyway, themes the facts, now are there any other questions?"

It was a brilliant move, what better way to throw Badger off their trail then to answer him with absolute honesty? Mal smiled at his quick wit; it was his turn to show arrogance.

Badger chuckled; he looked over at his men. All seemed to be giggling over the claim the Captain had made. Sometime the truth, used as a lie, worked better that fiction. Just then River leaned into the Captain's ear, and she whispered so that no others could hear…..

"Captain, with due respect sir, this is a cargo that you shouldn't deny. You should keep this transport. The reasons will become clearer later, and you will see."

River smiled at her Captain. Mal was again confused.

END PART 6


	7. Chapter 7

_**The Way of Serenity 7**_

"_**The Lamb and the Lion-Part 1"**_

Author's note: What corrals us to think the way that we think, to believe the way that we believe? I would venture to say that it is our life experiences that form a background core to that answer. In our younger years we believe what we are taught by an authority figure, and in that we should show respect. Still, it isn't until years later that we begin to form our own opinions.

This next chapter deals with a lot of backstory, backstory which concerns two characters from the Firefly universe, and also what is a possibility for the reasons that caused them to be the way they that we see them (_These are but my opinions…the creator of this particular fan-fiction, and, as such my ideas in no way should reflect the opinions of the gracious creators of this show_), my intent is to venture this story forward and submit hypotheses and conjecture. I submit my thanks to you, the reader, for pursuing this story arc to this point, Z

_**The Lamb and the Lion…..Prologue**_

An older man sits in his living quarters…

It is night, and the night is dark and peaceful….just the right time to chronicle his thoughts, his assessments, his ideals. He thinks about a time period, well it doesn't really matter about that. All he knows is that, as of this writing, his desire is to chronicle what has happened after his supposed death on Haven…..

He thinks about taking quill to paper. That is what his superiors would want, and what they would advise if one of their subordinates were to question how he should document a file. But he wasn't like them. He has been out in the world, lived it a spell, and he knows of the evil that lurks around every corner, every turn and could easily find his work and destroy it.

He knows of the demons that live out in the black, out past the border and rim planets, the soulless entities which populate the distant reaches of society. Some call them reavers. Even still, those demons are nothing comparable to the devils that rule from the core worlds. The folk that call themselves civilized and believe that they are the cream of society. He has witnessed their underlying source of evil, a parade of devils that would shout freedom from the peak of a mountaintop, while screaming of slavery and control from another venue. Parliament…

The man reaches down and pulls a small processor from a backpack nestled at his feet.

"_Yes, this is the instrument he will use to chronicle his story, his adventures, and that of the people he's grown to love and protect. There must be a record kept when they are all gone, when the last of the family of Serenity takes their final breath. There should remain some sort of catalog, some note about the verse that they lived in_."

Shepherd Book looked down at the keyboard. Sure the monks he been stationed with at Bathgate Abby would be unhappy with the method he'd chosen to record his time spent in the verse, and sure his words may prove to be unfavorable to some in high places. Still, the truth need be told. So he concluded, with an understanding, that this method would be so much easier to hide, smaller and less detectable than if he wrote on paper…..Shepherd Book returned to his typing.

…_**Shepherd**_

"_**The sun blinds us to the allure of the stars; while awakening us to the earthly beauty of the mountains and seas…..However as night falls, darkness may sleep the majesty of the land, but it also alerts us to grandeur of the heavens. **_

_**I consider myself blessed to have experienced so many sunrises and nightfall's and I accept the knowledge that there is a greater power than humankind. **_

_**We can either concede or deny these trues, at the cost of our souls. I "CAN" place judgment on the things that I've done…but I cannot place judgment on the actions of others. I can only vouch for my own sins (although there is nothing that says that I cannot repent and attempt to help the souls of my fellow humankind).**_

_**I am a "Shepherd", and as such I can only hope to mentor those that I meet along my path towards redemption. My obvious intent is to pay for the transgressions of my soul (and there is no denying the evil that I've done). My hope is to align for the wrongfulness of my ways, and therefore gain me a foothold into paradise. I've reached near the end of my journey, and as such I hope to tie-up any loose ends and voice an honesty of my being that will be enough to allow me into the pearly gate of Heaven…..**_

_**-The Chronicles of Shepherd Book.**_

…_**..The Lion and the Lamb…..**_

Left on-board ship much of the time to their own device (_during an era when Serenity was at her peak_), Shepherd Book & River Tam had developed a relationship that was special, a bond…..a closeness, nothing crazy mind you, or weird, but much a mentor/tutor relationship, a learning, an experience that extended in both directions.

Back in time, during that moment when Malcolm Reynolds found River Tam on Serenity's bridge (_after leaving the planet of Mr. Universe_), she had known, known that the Shepherd and Wash were still alive, still breathing, and also that there would be more trials, more tribulations to come…

Finding Miranda and exposing Parliament was only the tip of the iceberg. Also, Malcolm Reynolds' broadcast of Miranda's message, beyond the stratosphere, was something only of a distraction to the powers that be, minimal in its result of influence. Parliament had not retained its power without planning a contingency strategy for the inconceivable.

The "_**Hands of Blue**_" guys were much too clever for that. Under their advisement Parliament had braced for this contingency. As far as the "powers that be" were concerned, Mal's broadcast was a discrepancy that was easily explained. It was pawned off as a joke, a prank played across the cortex by hackers.

However River Tam, with her "_**insight**_", knew the truth. And she knew, with her link to Shepherd Book, that Serenity's pilot, Wash, had not perished in said conflict, that he had remained alive and well, and under the influence of the monk. Still it was her vow, her secret, to be keep this information disclosed until the appropriate time. And she had remained silent, tight-lipped, up until this point.

River also knew that the Unification War was not over. That the Independence side, although proclaiming defeat, was still conducting covert operations. Secretively strengthening a renewed cause. It was one of the things Parliament feared the most (_One cannot slay a dragon be the head not removed)._

The Alliance was yet to corral the head players of the rebellion of the Independent army. Their leadership remained at large. And there was still reward money cached for their capture. Also... were still hints of a renewed browncoat rebellion. This had been hinted about when Serenity was passing through the Ion cloud of Mr. U's world….

"_**a storm is coming**_," River had spoken, yet her meaning was misunderstood by Malcolm Reynolds. He had thought that she was speaking of the clouds, when actually she had been speaking of a renewed war to come.

Shepherd Book thought about the youngest passenger on Serenity…

He had never met a person like River Tam… and he was a man well-traveled, well versed.

Book was a person capable of giving influence to the Captain, and or Jayne, but when it came to advice, River Tam was quite his equal; he had found himself, much of the time, on the receiving end of her influence. She had taught him things, many things. And he had found himself enlightened by their conversations. She engaged his spirit. There weren't many people that could do that, Shepherd knew, that River's insight was more than just a curiosity. It moved him, propelled him forward….

They say that the close confines of space can drive people crazy, can forge them apart, or bring them closer together, in this case the later be true. The (living) Shepherd was a man connected to life, connected to soul. And his advice was not to be taken lightly.

If Book told you something, then you'd better take heed. He wasn't the kind of guy that sweated his opinion for nothing, he didn't play his gut (as the Captain of Serenity often did), if he spoke, then there was some buoyancy to his words, a reasoning behind his assumption.

Information was loose in the verse, and there was always someone willing to tell you how things were. The trick was to decipher the truth from fiction. Book made no beans about who he trusted, and that trust was exclusive to River above anyone else. Still his hope was that she would share it with the Captain, a man that he still inspired to save his soul, a promise he'd made to someone a long time ago…

_**Space, the final frontier**_, actually there were a brother and sister that may disagree with that statement. There was another frontier, another region, a different area that remained vastly unexplored, an area that was attempted to be examined by the knowledgeable of the day. Yes there was much known about it already, vast amounts, but its true power, its true identity remained elusive.

The Brain…..

The curious, both doctors and physicians, meant to study it exclusively, however, there were others that desired to know how it worked. Those that expressed an investment on the military side. What went on in the mind? Of course that was a question still in debate. the mind was a continuing frontier, an ongoing region of exploration.

The brain, a complicated arena, a universe all onto its own, was still being explored in the twenty-sixth century. The brain was a place of assessment and confusion, and still explored and studied by the scientists of the day.

Siblings, siblings by the name of Tam could attest to that. River, by namesake, had been a government experiment. One to cleanse the path of the unknown. However, with her escape the program had become unacceptable, and those involved had paid. Was the government still trying access River's brain, or had they moved on? Only the gods & parliament knew the answer to that question, and who could ever know what those folk were thinking?

END PART 7


	8. Chapter 8

_**The Way of Serenity 8**_

"_**The Ying & the Yang"**_

Author's note: Sitting in his modest room at the monastery, Henry Evans, aka Derrial Book, revisits the time he sat in review of his total life….ironically in a soup kitchen. Not a fond memory, but still, a memory just the same. Actually he recalls it as if it were yesterday…the time he felt summoned, the moment he realized that his life may have been constructed for a higher purpose, given to him by a Divinity (not to waste), but to experience and relay his findings to others.

Derrial recalls the time he came face to face with GOD, or rather his…..emissary, and it stunned him to his core. He felt then, beckoned to a new calling.

Reveled is the first time Shepherd met God, and after his own self-worth had sunken into a pit of loathing, his spirit was lifted… (_Fiction, Z_).

_**Shepherd Book- Man in the Mirror**_

He sat there, Derrial Book, remembering it clearly, that day, that time, that moment in his life when he first felt the presents of a Divinity…and it wasn't in a church, a synagogue or temple, NO.

That first time, that moment he was confronted with a second path, was an ellipse where he considered his true destiny. It was the moment that he saw and recognized Jesus (becoming then, acquainted with the prophet, and therefore considering that there may be a higher Entity, a being above all, YES, an ALMIGHTY).

It had been in a soup kitchen (looking down into his latest, and what could have been his last meal), Henry Evans became aware that his mission (his purpose in the cosmos) was not complete, that maybe he had been preordained to save souls.

There were others there too in that kitchen, the poor, the hungry, the downtrodden, the souls that….with every breath, came closer to the end of their life's journey, seemingly also having hit rock bottom.

At that moment Book had been contemplating what he had done with his life…..the sum of all his meager existence. He had been born the child of an abusive father, he'd become a thief, a renegade, an outcast, a rebel…nothing could make Henry Evans conform. That is, until he fell into a rebellious group that matched him. Looking down into the bowl he remembered it all, post.

He had joined that rebellious crew and gone on to complete some very nasty, but not unfavorable, orders. Not only had he joined the independence, but as war had broken out, he'd gone on to serve as a spy for their side. He'd done some wicked things for the freedom fighters (but he knew, the Alliance were just as bad if not worse), however he couldn't blame them for all of his debauchery; he'd done lowly deeds of his own accord. People had died….many people. Some because of the decisions he had made. And just because they were soldiers, and their duty was to stand their ground and fight, his rule gave no cause for him to end them so abruptly. Many, on both sides, had given their lives blatantly, but it was only now, years later, that his conscious began to bother him.

Book was wondering at this point what he could do to save his soul? He looked down into his bowl of gruel, a thin stew with hardly any substance to it at all, and suddenly realized that there was a reflection in its surface. He saw a face, a face staring back at him and he realized that this image had a crown, a crown of thorns…..

"Jesus," he exclaimed, and his outburst caused several of the others in attendance to turn and look in his direction.

In a moment they all had pawned it off as "_the poor bastard saying grace over his meal"_, and each had returned to their own torment, that is, save for one. This individual kept a steady eye upon the future Shepherd. Book could feel his eyes burning upon him.

"Jesus can't save you now," the stranger had spoken, "neither God, nor the Alliance. You've sunken about as low as you can go."

Book was taken aback by this man's words, who was he to place judgment?

The man again spoke…

"I won't tell you my name, only suffice to say that I've just come out of fifteen years in the Lock-Down (You've spent time in the Lock-Down, but less than you claim- River in the **Safe** episode) Once you've reached this level of debauchery, only a miracle can save you."

The man was right about that. It may take a miracle to save him from the depths of eternal damnation; yet, with the help of God, Book believed that miracle could still happen.

He again looked down into his bowl of soup. This time he saw his old, familiar face staring back. He swirled the thin mixture with a spoon, and oddly enough it seemed to form an image, a symbol that he had witnessed many times…..the Ying & the Yang.

Book remembered this, he'd seen it lots times in history books and as graffiti on walls.

The Ying & the Yang…..a description of opposites, an expressing that supposed that one manifestation could not exist without the other. Where there was light, there needed to be darkness, where there was hot, there had to be a cold, and where there was man, then….there must exist woman. His final thoughts where, and where there was wrong or evil, there had to be good. He looked up from his soup bowl renewed…..if there was a God, then with his help, it was not too late to save his soul, however he must turn things around quickly. If he was to save himself from the fires of Hell there was no time to waste. He ventured out into the street and looked up accordingly…..he did see a sign, and on it was the route to his salvation.

_**River Tam- A Girl in Space**_

River Tam….

Much had been said about this young lady. Some of it true, and some of it made up by the Alliance. Yet, the mystery of the young lass lingered as it were a sweet fragrance mildly driven past one's senses on a cool autumn breeze….there was plenty still unknown about her. For instance her telepathy, it was obvious that she had visions, but were those visions from the past, the present, or the future? Maybe they were from all three?

Anyway, Preacher Book, just as the rest of Serenity's crew, was unsure. All he knew was that he could communicate with her, or rather she with him. This had been discovered when they had been alone together on Serenity.

Book would wonder into Serenity's galley often times (left behind those episodes when the host of the crew were out on missions, whether legal or otherwise), and there he would find in the ship's food quarters what he was looking for, awaiting, as if it knew he were coming. It may be a fork, spoon or chopsticks, or even one of the fruits or vegetables he had brought back with him from the abbey. Whatever the item, he had known that it wasn't there before; it had been put there purposely, and with intent. Also, at those moments he often heard the giggle of a girl, a young woman, and he instantly knew, although unseen, who it was.

River loved to play. She played chase with Kaylee, or "_Bounce-Catch_", and she shared a special relationship with Serenity's young engine mechanic too, they were friends. However, the one she shared with Book was different…..he told her things, or she could hear his thoughts. Even from a distance she was aware, at times, of what he was thinking. Many of Shepherd's brain waves were cluttered with saving the Captain, well at lease his soul; still, River had a connection with the monk that seemed not possible. She knew his mind, both the good and the torment.

Book's brain held darker secrets, areas closed away behind hidden doors, mysterious private parts visited only by him. Mostly she didn't venture to such places, regions that the Shepherd considered were his own, his confidential arena. So the young Tam respected his seclusion. However, on occasion the cleric did invite her to listen to his advice, his wisdom, from the other side. There he spoke to her of danger, either the danger that Serenity could be headed for, or the things the Captain should avoid.

Miss Tam would usually pass these ideas along to Mal, and the Captain seemed always intrigued by her insight (unknowing at times that it was Book still looking after him and giving warning), still Mal being Mal, sometime he listened, sometimes he did not (the rebellious browncoat in him having never completely gone away, it just had ventured a little south).

This theory…the ability for two _objects in space_ to share a connection at a distance had been brought to light by some genius on the old _Earth That Was_. Spooky action at a distance, he had called it, or the instantaneous connection between two bodies that, at one time, shared a relative space.

Anyway, River was still full of surprises, and she was a delight to have around, also, as Mal had found, she was a gorram good pilot.

_**Malcolm Reynolds….**_

Having left the dust of Persephone behind, Serenity was in the Black now, on its way to deliver its cargo the Jiangyin (for Badger and coincidentally, Sir Warwick Harrow). Also it would pick up the ship's extended crew, Kaylee, Simon, and Wash and Zoe's young child.

Now, being afloat for two days, and after a restful sleep, Malcolm Reynolds had ventured up to the bridge where he met up with a gleeful River Tam and also a spiritedly Hodan Wash. The two turned towards the Captain as he entered.

"Hey Mal, what's on the menu for supper tonight, pork ribs," a snickering fellow in a colorful pattered shirt questioned?

River giggled…..and Mal himself would have too, if he hadn't retained a degree of doubt about Wash. But the Captain remained on his guarded side.

It felt good to have his old pilot back on-board. That along with the presumed resurrection of Shepherd Book (the assistance of the Preacher providing some clarity for Wash's appearance), the Captain was feeling pretty confident. Still, Mal had lived a long life, and not so by letting his barricades down easily. He was still a little iffy as to the reality of Wash and Book still being alive. However, THIS new Wash seem to be fitting in quiet well with his crew, especially with his first-mate, and it was making the Captain a bit nervous. Also they hadn't heard from the Preacher of Persephone for a few days, so Mal was beginning to become curious.

River looked over at Mal…..

"Sir, I have a message for you," the young girl spoke, "it is time to check the WASH," she spoke, and then she glanced over a Serenity's old pilot.

The Captain was a bit confused, was she hinting that Wash was beginning to smell? Well, it did seem that he had been wearing that same shirt since his appearance on Serenity, several days ago….. Maybe it was time to give Wash a wash.

River sensed the Captain's thoughts, and knew again that he had misinterpreted her meaning….

"No Mal, I mean, well….I found this on his person."

She pulled a small micro-chip from her pocket and handed it over to the Captain.

"It's marked, _for your eyes only_," she continued, and Mal flipped the minute object around between his fingers. He noticed that it did have writing on it, but it was so small how could anyone…..?

"How could you read….." he began to express to the girl bringing the chip up closer to his eye, but then he remembered that it was never a good idea to question River, well sometimes. She knew what she knew, and that was that.

"You may be able to decipher it in your bunk," River added.

Mal remain on the bridge for a while then gained his bunk again, eager to see what the micro-chip held in confidence. He slipped the chip into his mainframe computer and in an instant the Shepherd's image produced onto the monitor.

"Hello Mal….," the Preacher began, and the Captain was happy to see his familiar face. Then the Preacher progressed through a series of riddles and rhymes that the Captain had a hard time following.

"Dang Preacher," Mal spoke quietly, "You're getting as hard to understand as River Tam," however, the last of the Shepherd's words came out clearly…

"…..I am communicating this to you in said manner because just after your lift-off from Persephone I noticed another craft head for atmo just behind Serenity. I'm afraid that you may have a tail Captain, and by way of credentials, it seems to be Alliance. Therefore as per communication, I've chosen to warn you by alerting River of the chip placed on Wash's shirt. I dare not risk communication over the cortex, at least not at this time. It may be monitored, so be alerted and I will keep in touch with you by one means or another," Then Book paused and smiled, "It feels good being part of Serenity's team again…."

Although there was no way for the Shepherd to know, the Captain was smiling too, however, just at that moment the alert buzzer to Mal's bunk sounded…it was Wash's voice.

"Mal, there is a ship approaching Serenity fast….stern side! It may be Alliance; you'd better get up here quickly!"

Malcolm Reynolds did not hesitate, he knew the different tones of Wash's voice, and he knew now that something abrew.

END PART 8

Next Chapter (9) "ORCA"


End file.
